Army snubs KBR under latest combat support services contract
By ELISE CASTELLI | Last Updated: December 2, 2009
The top dog in contracted support services for the military since 2001 has been KBR. As the sole vendor on the LOGCAP III contract, KBR won $37 billion worth of work to provide troops deployed to Iraq, Afghanistan and Kuwait with everything from dining hall and laundry services to recreation and mail delivery.
No more.
In the year since the Army awarded a new, follow-on combat-support services contract — called LOGCAP IV — to three vendors, including KBR, the company has not won any work.
All seven task orders awarded so far — for a variety of support service in Kuwait and Afghanistan — went to the other two vendors on the LOGCAP IV contract: DynCorp and Fluor. Fluor won $500 million worth of work; DynCorp won $750 million. Under the contract, all three vendors must compete for all task orders.
Under LOGCAP IV, which was awarded in June 2007, each of the three companies has the potential of performing $5 billion worth of work per year.
Lee Thompson, executive director of LOGCAP, declined to say why KBR has not won any work under the new contract. Those decisions are “source-selection sensitive,” he said.
But Thompson pointed out that the Army added two additional vendors to the LOGCAP IV contract to generate innovative solutions at the best prices. According to Army solicitations, the key criteria for LOGCAP IV task order awards, in order of importance, were technical skills, past performance and price.
Also, the Army became aware of limitations in having a sole-source arrangement under LOGCAP III. With three vendors, there is another vendor to provide people and services if one or two of the competitors are fully committed elsewhere, Thompson said.
“That’s the whole thing with competition,” Thompson said. “You get that flexibility.”
Auditors repeatedly criticized LOGCAP III’s inflexibility and said the sole-source nature of the contract led to overpricing and shoddy services in some cases.
In a statement, KBR spokeswoman Heather Browne shrugged off the company’s LOGCAP IV losses and LOGCAP III criticism. “KBR will work to maximize our service offerings to the military and therefore maximize our chances of success of obtaining work under LOGCAP IV,” Browne said in a written statement. “No company is better positioned to provide support on LOGCAP IV than KBR.”
In snubbing KBR in the first seven task orders on the contract, the Army apparently sees it differently.
KBR protested three of those decisions before the Government Accountability Office, but was unsuccessful.
In two cases, GAO said KBR lost the competitions because it failed to follow Army instructions. (Link to original article)
How many think that KBR will ask the government for a “Bailout” because they think they are too big to fail?
Maybe they can ask AIG/AIU to help them by lobbying on their behalf for this poor, needy, helpless, defenseless,oh-so-worthy corp. joke.
I say if they want to do business – start being an “Image Changer” by treating people ethically, morally and legally. Own-up to your injustices.
Greed has ruined many on this planet!!!
I wouldn’t put it past them to ask for help. I believe they have already mentioned charging the government for their legal fees related to the Good Friday Massacre suit.
This is the best news I have heard in 3 years. I spent 6 months with KBR and it was the single worst experience of my life. All I can say is every negative rumor people have heard is 100% true! They lost everything because of incompetent management, waste/fraud and abuse, mistreating workers, human trafficking and piss poor performance. Thank god my skills landed me a real job with a top notch defense company. I can look back and tell others the horror stories I have seen with KBR. I think they are the laughing
I agree that management is the biggest downfall with KBR. And now that Fluor seems to be sucking up KBR managers they are in for the same problems.
LOL, boy i guess to get some responses you must write about KBR. But as we will see how well the new vendors perform under LOGCAP IV. They say best value well if you underbid(kbr)the new contractors by 900 million i guess the government is getting the best value and also why is KBR is performing work in southern afghanistan for Dyncorp and paying both for the same work. I guess you did not that memo.
Ksniper….I’ll bet you have a KBR logo tatoo’d on your butt!!! Do you bleed KBR red and sleep with your KBR hat and lanyard too. You’re starting to sound like Heather Browne!
Either the english language is not your mother tongue (forgivable), or your writing ability equals your company’s managment capabilities. In either case, LEARN!
No i have a rose tatoo on my forearm. It is pretty funny when you come work for KBR make some fast money demob and then start blogging about KBR. I am sure you went to work for them because you were in dire straits and now you are even keel now you blogg away. KBR is not the only one who has had numerous problems over here. No one is perfect. I was wondering about the burn pit pictures you have posted not sure if they are still posted or not but you talk about time sheet fraud and all the other issues you blog about where you on the clock when you took these pictures or where you checking some electrical issues at the burn pit. If i am not mistaken if you did not have business there then you were not at your appointed place of duty so basically you were contributiting to the same BS you blog about. LOL, keep blogging about KBR it is quite comical and sometimes disrespectful but that Freedom of speech stamp is used to the fullest on this blog. Keep up the good work.
Come on guy…you are smarter than that. I have received 100′s and 100′s of pics from Iraq and Afghanistan. All kinds, burn pits, electrical you name it!! And are you reading everything? I recently have been giving Dyncorp, CSA, SBH and Fluor equal time with KBR. Are you feeling left out?
You are a long time reader and contributor! You know my issues have never been with the KBR employees unless of course they are committing crimes. They are over there trying to do their job and support their families. Don’t you think it would be nice if they could do that an not be asked to commit fraud, waste, abuse, be harassed, raped, threatened, coerced by any company?
Ksniper is at it again. He forgot the old saying about “assume”. Some if not all of those burn pit fotos were emailed to Ms. Sparky. What about signing the timesheets early at the end of the month, Mr K? Under a certain Doctrine of US law that voids our arbitration agreement and we can sue. It is called Sabine-Pilot if you did not know. I have seen one electrician sign work off for another and he did not inspect the others work but did as the site mgr. told him to. Very responsible work there on both parties sides. The bottom line to what you are saying is that all contractors can be fired and I will agree with this. Why don’t you just say this? The part I do not hear you talking about is the safety issues raised at all. Just to other BS so it appears that you have sold your soul for the dollar as well. Do you have any knee pads in your office?
Gungho,
Thanks for the response and the part about the “office supplies” is a nice touch
I’ve been bashed before and it won’t be the last time. I am just commenting on what i have viewed and i did not say hundreds of pictures either. I just commented about the photos taken at the burn pits. Flexing for the camera is the same thing as investigating the burn pits? That is all i said did i demean anyone? No but if my post are not pro Ms Sparky then i am an outcast, Scum of the earth. Working overseas is not for everyone, no one or contractor is perfect. Some people who come here are not cut out for this work. One person i know left the job because he could not or was not qualifed for the job. Did i run him off? No i gave him a chance many chances but if you cannot do the job you must go. He decided to Demob after making comments about other workers and accusations that i played favorites oh well. Remember folks, no company over here is perfect. There are pleny of issues out there that remaind covered up but i guess for the time being KBR is the target. Once KBR is gone i wonder who will be next. Have a good day folks.
With out going back and reviewing all my burn pit pics, I don’t know which one(s) you are talking about. Flexing in front of the burn pits? If you are trying to imply that I had photos of me taken in front of a burn pit you are mistaken. There are no such photos.
It amazes me that after everything that has been reported and uncovered you still stand firm with your allegiance to KBR. Not the troops, not KBR employees. But KBR the company. I’m not the one who is NOT awarding KBR Task Orders for LOGCAP IV. Evidently the DoD has had their fill of KBR too. And again….it’s not KBR the people, it’s KBR the company. There is a HUGE difference. I’m surprised you can’t see that.
We have disagreed before. We will disagree again.
I guess we have to disagree. As i said no company is perfect and you are deteremined to sink KBR and that is your choice and right. Not all of us are like the people you have spotlighted on this site. I guess rolling us all into the ball of wax is the best thing for everyone which is your thinking. Your site is interesting but goes over the top, some of your posters are quite colorful and they have some funny comments taking about knee pads
i had to think about that one for a moment. Anyway keep up the good work Sparky.
There is always a bad apple in every bushel. If you leave the bad one in long enough it will cause more to rot. That is what I see with KBR. Yes there are many good people there but the longer the wrong doing goes on the more people that become involved. KBR should at least make an effort to stop the corruption, misconduct, and abuse that has been going on since the beginning of the Iraqi project. It has caused more than a little damaged (rot) to the KBR company. They are going to have to make an effort to improve their image and it needs to happen pretty fast. Removing some bad apples would not be a bad idea at this point.
Ksnipper,
I know you are a good, hard, loyal worker and beleive in the job that you are doing. Please do not take everything that is said on this forum personally. People post about KBR from their personal experiences. Some are good and some are bad. I guess depending on what camp you are in and what management you have it could be either way. Maybe you are a lucky one and in a camp where things are run the way they should be. If that is the case I am very proud for you and hope your happiness with KBR continues. It is a good feeling to be proud of what you do and like the company you work for. Just remember when you are reading the forum that is not always the case for everyone here.
To “Ex-KBR Wife”: “Ksniper” is not the “good, hard, loyal worker and believes in what he is doing” person as you stated. I’ve read many of his comments on numerous issues here on Ms.Sparky’s site. Personally, I think he is full of cr**. Most of his posts are done on company time. . . hmmmm. . .anyway, anybody that is not midlevel and above KBR management and sticks up for KBR is part of the problem with KBR. I was with them too long and have seen people like “Ksniper” who have been milking that IRAQ KBR money cow for way too long. Sure I made money working for KBR. Who wouldn’t when you work 84+ hours everyweek?? But I owe them nothing. I earned what I made and they didn’t give me anything that I didn’t earn. So I look at it like this: I earned what I made and I don’t owe them any loyalties. KBR has always been a cut-throat outfit and always will be.
Sorry Bigdeez, If we don’t agree. I do not think it is fair to bash someone you don’t know. Does he post on this forum??? Yes he does. I do know that he has his own personal computer that he uses on his off time. I know this from the indeed forum. I do believe that he honestly speaks his feelings as we all do. He believes in KBR and what he is doing. That is his choice. I personally do not believe in KBR. My husband was screwed over by BAD MANAGEMENT. He lost his job and we have been without a paycheck for way to long now. You will never hear me defend KBR in any way. I will however defend people who work for them and do their jobs. Not all people who work for KBR are bad people just some of them. That is the problem. The bad ones have given the whole company a bad name.
On company time LOL, smart guy Ms Sparky is blocked on KBR servers and i comment in my hooch. That about you can do is run your yap and you probably as you said milked the company for what you could and when it caught with you then you were either RIFed or sent on your way. Truly amazing what people write to get a response. Oh well think what you want and i know who i am and you are probably trying to fit in here as well. I will wait for your next comment. Bigdeez. At least Sparky is consistant with her comments and i may not like them but i do respect them. We do at times agree to disagree.
Both Bigdeez and KSniper are long time contributors to Ms Sparky conversations and I believe you both to hard workers.
I am sure I have disagreed with both of you at one time or another and clearly you both feel differently about KBR.
We’re all in this together. None of us are managers and none of us caused the problems. Let’s not turn on each other. All we can try to do is fix them!
Ksniper
Go to one of your local Veterans Hospitals, and you will see many disabled civilians and former military folks there just trying to maintain – from injuries in Iraq or Afghanistan or WWII, Korean War, or other conflicts around the world.
I am a Vietnam Veteran and went to Iraq for two years and was injured twice. Now I get my treatment from the V.A. – only because AIG stopped my disability payments. Now I am totally disabled with PTSD two physical injuries that are life long lasting. I took pictures of Burnpits while I was riding on the bus to the PX or DFAC,on my time. Also I took pictures while in combat situations, and non combat situations (meaning we weren’t being shot at or dodging I.E.Ds. at that moment).
I wish to GOD I was still over there helping – and the money wasn’t a factor for me – and I’m certain for many more. You see, I couldn’t go to Vietnam whild I was in the Navy for 4 years, because my Late older brother was Captain of a River Boat for two years and died in 1983 at the age of 36 – from Agent Orange exposure. Luther would not let me go to Vietnam. So my combat experience was fulfilled in Iraq for two years, two injuries, totally disabled, w/PTSD. My whole family has died Ksniper, and I miss them more than words will ever say, especially this time of the year. When you read something on this blog – they’re just expressing their point of view because they might have had something negative happen while there. And some of the people were never in a combat situation – like the wife of the man who died while taking a shower in Iraq, or the mother or father of a son or daughter that died from a mysterious circumstance.
Many reasons takes us all to a place half-way around the world to help our service members and co-workers – and I say GOD BLESS THEM ALL – INCLUDING YOU KSNIPER. With-out you and all the countless others helping the military, our country would be having a truly horrible time of it.
With this said – I say “Merry Christmas and God Bless us all” !!!!!!!!!!!
Has this KBR company changed their evil ways? How much do u make working over there doing mail work? if u don’t like it, can u come back home? Also, what contractor company is the best to work for overseas?
Hi Sara,
I’ll leave the first question alone in deference to objectivity.
In regard to your second question, it is difficult to quote exact figures, except to say that all persons who are from the same country (referred to as Point of Origin), with the same job title, receive the same remuneration.
Also, remember that once you get your foot in the door, in whatever capacity, you will then have the opportunity to network and build professional relationships with individuals in your field of interest. This is when your advanced interpersonal and business communication skills can be greatly leveraged to your strategic advantage.
And while “best” is a subjective term depending a candidate’s particular wants, needs, desires, and goals, (both financial & career), if you are looking for longevity, Fluor is the major LOGCAP 4 employer at the moment.
If you have decided to pursue a job on the Logcap project, be prepared to exercise patience, as committment to the process, persistence, and flexibility are key success factors to becoming gainfuly employed.
For more in-depth information on how to prepare yourself and maximize your chances of getting onto the LOGCAP project, you can check out my website, http://www.logcap4jobs.com
Best of luck!